Black cats have a personality all their own

October is always a sad month for the black cats and kittens living in our shelter.

The Buddy Foundation has a policy that does not allow any black felines to be adopted during the month of October. We have many wonderful cats that will miss going to their forever home due to the stigma surrounding black cats.

It is a mystery and, yes, silly as it sounds, you still hear about superstitions, black magic, bad luck and other folklore regarding black cats. It is 2014 and there still remain many people uneducated about the wonderful qualities that black cats alone have.

According to the ASPCA (www.aspca.org), black cats are least likely to get adopted in shelters across the U.S., with no concrete answer as to why. It may be because of misinformation, but also because black cats stand out less compared to more brightly colored cats and they are harder to see when in their cages or cubby holes.

In Egyptian times, black cats were held so high in esteem that to harm one was a capital crime.

Sailors believed having a black cat on board brought good luck and fishermen's wives often kept black cats at home, thinking it would bring the safe return of their husbands.

There are 21 breeds of black cats, the most poplar being the Bombay. They are characterized as intelligent, playful and are attention seekers, which is why Bombays are many times chosen to be actors, both in real and animated shows.

For example, "The Simpsons," "Star Trek," "Hocus Pocus" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." They are known for their black coat, black toes, black nose and yellow eyes.

The black coat of these felines results from a gene mutation, an indication of melanism, which is the opposite of albinism (white). Outside of cats, however, melanism is rather rare.

Melanism is believed to provide superior camouflage to cats, making them harder for prey to detect. This evolutionary advantage over other colored cats means they will survive longer and pass these black coat genes to their offspring.

Research is being done on their color mutation and promising evidence shows these black cats are more resistant to pathogens, which results in black cats staying healthier. These discoveries proved that black cats do not have bad luck at all.

Many believe that black cats are more "in tune" to their owners. At The Buddy Foundation, we have quite an assortment of black cats with many different qualities - from their looks to their personalities.

It often seems that our black cats strive to show off when potential adopters come in. They are one of the first to greet anyone walking in their room and are eager to be the first on a lap, often bothering you until you stop what you are doing to give them the attention they are seeking.

If they are chilling out in a cubby hole, you need to look close to see them, but they are watching you. Our black cats in cages are so alert to what is going on, you cannot open a can of food or grab a toy without them meowing loudly for you to approach them.

So although Black Cat Appreciation Day passed on Aug. 17, consider adopting one of our black cats or kittens, as they will unfortunately have to stay an extra 31 days with us in October. Even if you fall in love with your new, special, black kitty in October, The Buddy Foundation will hold them for you if you pay the adoption fee in advance.

Some of our black cats looking for forever homes are:

• Poppy, a domestic shorthair, black female, is 1½ years old. She is very sweet and good friends with Flip.

• Flip, a domestic shorthair, black male, is 1½ years old. Flip loves to purr and is a good friend of Poppy. If you are looking for two cats, these two are your best bet.

• Twist is a domestic medium hair, black female. Very sweet, Twist needs a quiet, loving environment. Once she is comfortable with you she is super affectionate and you have a friend for life.

• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, can be reached at (847) 290-5806; email BuddyFoundation@att.net; or visit thebuddyfoundation.org.